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November 13, 1996
The Progress of Canada's Children 1996
The following facts and trends are excerpted from above-titled 64-page report, released by the Canadian Council on Social Development on November 13, 1996.
Canada is first among nations according to the UN's Human Development Report, but...
Canada has the world's second highest rate of child poverty among industrialized countries, second only to the United States. In 1994, one in five children under 18 years -- 1.4 million -- lived in poverty. 40% of today's welfare recipients are children. 500,000 children and their families live in housing that does not meet federal standards for affordability and adequacy. In 1994, the average income of poor families with children was $8,300 below the poverty line.
Why is Canada's rate of child poverty so high?
A rapidly evolving labour market means that most Canadian families are experiencing changes in their employment situations. In 1994, 12.2% of families had at least one parent unemployed for more than six months. Average after-tax family income dropped between 1984 and 1994 -- from $43,800 to $43,700 (in 1994 dollars) -- but the cost of living rose during that same period. The number of lone-parent families is increasing and children in these families are more likely to be poor than those in two-parent families -- 56% compared to 13%. The costs of raising children today are high -- approximately $150,000 to raise a child from birth to 18 years, including the cost of child care. Canada spends less on income security programs for families than most other industrialized countries.
The fabric of Canadian society is changing and the changes are reflected in our children...
Due to a steadily decreasing fertility rate, Canada today has proportionately fewer children and youth -- 10 million under the age of 25 -- than at any other time during the post-war period. Most Canadian children live in cities -- 82% of those up to age 11 -- as the urbanization of our society continues. Increased immigration means that Canadian children are more ethnically, racially and linguistically diverse than in the past.
...and in the make-up and lives of their families.
The number of lone-parent families has increased dramatically over the past 30 years to 1.1 million families, an increase of 60% since 1981. In 1994, 16% of children lived in lone-parent families, the vast majority headed by mothers. Families are smaller than in the past. Almost half of all Canadian children have only one sibling; 23% have two. The number of common-law relationships is increasing. Today, there are approximately 500,000 common-law couples with children. 9% of children up to age 11 live in step-families. Because many couples are putting off child-rearing until they have secure employment and higher wages, parents today are older -- only 13% of children under 12 have parents less than 30 years of age. Less than 1% of Canadian children live with teenage mothers, but these children are at a particularly high risk of growing up in poverty. In spite of all the changes in families today, nearly 80 per cent of children under 12 years of age still live with both of their biological parents.
There are fewer traditional "male breadwinner" families. Today, Canadian parents are struggling to balance work and family responsibilities.
More mothers are working than ever before and dual-earner families are now the norm. In 1994, 70% of children under 18 years of age living in two-parent families had both parents in the paid labour force. The majority of single parents work. In 1994, 61% of lone parents with children under 18 worked outside the home. Working women still do most of the domestic labour. Those with a child under six put in an average of 5.4 hours of unpaid work each day, while working fathers put in 3.4 hours. Working parents are stressed: 50% of mothers and 36% of fathers find it difficult to manage their work and family responsibilities.
Quality, accessibility and affordability of child-care services are critical issues for many Canadian families.
In 1994, 1.5 million children under the age of 12 spent an average of 21.2 hours in child care. Only 27% were in regulated child-care programs. Many modest- and middle-income families cannot afford regulated child care. The majority of children are cared for by relatives or in family home day care. Canada has no national child care system with set standards for fees and quality of services; as a result, the quality of regulated child-care programs is uneven across the country. Funding cutbacks threaten the services available.
The majority of Canadian families are resilient in facing the challenges of a changing society.
Most parents have a positive, affectionate and consistent parenting style. Most parents are mentally healthy. Less than 10% of children up to age 11 live with a parent who experiences symptoms of depression. A small percentage of children -- 8% -- live in dysfunctional families, often living in poverty and with few social supports. These children are under physical and emotional stress, and they require additional help.
How safe are our children and youth from the risk of injury-related death?
Injury is the leading cause of death among children between the ages of one and 20. In 1994, 1,624 children died of injuries. The majority of injury-related deaths are caused by motor vehicle accidents. Although the rate of injury-related deaths is declining, injuries still account for 57% of all deaths among children up to 19 years of age. Youth between the ages of 15 and 19 are the most at risk of death from injuries, particularly teenage boys. Suffocation is the leading cause of injury-related death among children under one. Public awareness of safety hazards is critical in lowering injury rates and reducing the severity of injuries.
Canada has made important environmental gains but some hazards still pose a significant risk to children.
Canada is one of the highest per capita producers of air pollutants in the world -- a probable cause of the increase in respiratory illnesses among children and youth. Children who inhale environmental tobacco smoke -- smoke exhaled by smokers and smoke from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe and cigar -- are likely to have reduced lung functioning and a greater risk of respiratory illness. Nearly 40% of children under age six live in a home where one or more persons smoke regularly. Embryos are affected by maternal smoking. Babies born to mothers who smoke tend to have low birth weights and a high risk of respiratory illness. One in four pregnant women smoke. High exposure to ultraviolet radiation as a child or teen is one of the most significant risk factors for skin cancer. A child born today has a 1-in-7 chance of developing non-melanoma skin cancer and a 1-in-120 chance of developing malignant melanoma.
Youth crime and victimization are important issues in our society.
Although the overall rate of youth crime has decreased over the past three years, violent crimes committed by youth 12 to 17 years doubled between 1986 and 1992, rising faster than the adult violent crime rate. Violent crimes now make up 19% of all crimes committed by youth. One in 10 youth -- mostly males -- come into contact with police each year for criminal violations; 40% are repeat offenders. The causes of youth crime are generally family dysfunction, criminality in the family, anti-social behaviour and family poverty. Older children are more likely to be victims of crime than children under 12 years of age. Teens between the ages of 12 and 19 (who make up 11% of the population) account for 20% of violent crime victims. In general, children and youth are at greater risk of violence -- particularly sexual assault -- from family members and acquaintances than from strangers.
Canada has one of the most highly educated populations in the world, but access to higher education is threatened.
In 1994, there were 5.5 million students in elementary and high schools -- almost 100% enrolment. Canada has one of the highest enrolments in post-secondary institutions among industrialized countries. In 1994, there were 1.5 million students, or 53 per cent of youth aged 18 to 24, enroled in colleges, technical institutes or universities on a part-time or full-time basis. Government expenditures for all levels of education have doubled over the past 10 years. In 1994, governments spent $56.5 billion on education. Recent provincial cutbacks mean that many parents of elementary and secondary school students must now pay user fees for activities that were previously free, including cultural and sporting activities and special services such as speech therapy. At the post-secondary level, tuition fees are rising; 50% of post-secondary students require government loans to finance their education. Funding for kindergarten programs is being cut across Canada. Fewer children have access to high-quality preschool programs.
Facts about Young Children: birth to 3 years
The majority of Canadian babies are born healthy and they develop normally. Healthy pregnancies are the key to having healthy babies. In 1994, 71% of mothers had problem-free pregnancies and almost 100% received prenatal care. Approximately 5.7% of babies have low birth weights -- a decisive indicator of poor health at birth. A disproportionate number of these babies come from low-income households. Children are more likely to die in their first year of life than at any other time during childhood, usually from respiratory distress and birth defects. The infant mortality rate, which was 6.2 per 1,000 live births in 1993, has decreased 75% over the past 30 years. Canada has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world. Young children tend to be more physically aggressive than older children. Those who do not learn to control violent impulses at a young age are at a high risk of exhibiting violent behaviour later in life.
Facts about School-age Children: 4 to 9 years
Children aged 4 to 9 are physically healthier than children in any other age group and they have the lowest death and hospitalization rates. In 1993, the mortality rate for children in this age group was 0.2 per 1,000 population -- a rate that has declined by 40% over the past 15 years. Despite progress in reducing childhood injuries, Canada's rate of injury-related deaths for children aged 5 to 14 stands 16th (for boys) and 15th (for girls) among 32 countries. Children in poor households and those from lone-parent families have lower scores on school-readiness tests than children from families with more social and economic resources at their disposal. The majority of children in this age group -- 88% -- have a positive attitude about learning and they look forward to school. Over 75% of parents expect their children to go to university.
Facts about Young Teens: 10 to 14 years
Young Canadian teens are healthy and they have a very low mortality rate -- 0.2 per 1,000 population. Young teens rank well in comparison to teens from other countries in terms of their levels of physical activity; 67% of 13-year-old girls and 85% of boys took part in physical activities two or more times a week. Young teens continue to smoke, despite warnings about the health consequences. By age 13, 46% of girls and 41% of boys have tried smoking. In comparison to other countries, a higher percentage of young Canadian teens -- 10% -- claim to be regular smokers. Most young teens get along well with family members and friends -- an important indicator of healthy development. In 1993, the largest number of investigations concerning child maltreatment involved young teens aged 12 to 15 -- 28% of all such investigations. Young teens made 46% of all the calls to the Kids Help Phone in 1995. As young teens grow, they become less enthusiastic about going to school. There is a 10% drop in the number of young teens who have a positive attitude about learning, compared to the attitudes of school-age children. In national math tests conducted in 1993 by the Council of Ministers of Education, 13-year-old Francophone students from Quebec tended to score higher than the Canadian average and students from the other provinces.
Facts about Teens: 15 to 19 years
92% of teens live in the parental home and almost all are single. Greater physical abilities and the desire for independence lead teens to take greater health risks. After infants, older teens have the highest mortality rate among children and youth -- 0.6 per 1,000 population in 1993. The teen suicide rate has increased dramatically over the past 30 years in Canada. After injury-related deaths, suicide is the second leading cause of death -- 13 per 100,000 teens. The majority of suicide deaths involve teenage boys. Suicide rates among Canadian youth aged 15 to 24 are higher than those of many other countries: the rate for Canadian males was 22nd among 32 countries, and for females it was 24th. (Being ranked first out of 32 countries meant having the lowest suicide rate.) Alcohol is the drug of choice for teens; 70% consumed alcohol in 1994. Illegal drug use among teens has risen significantly since 1993. The pregnancy rate reached a low in 1987 and has climbed slightly since. In 1992, 41.6 of every 1,000 Canadian women in this age group became pregnant, less than half the American rate. Many teens -- particularly girls -- report feelings of loneliness, sadness and depression. The number of teens in school has increased. In 1994, 84% attended school either full-time or part-time, and 70% of 19-year-olds had graduated. Nation-wide testing indicates that most teens have good mathematical skills and a high degree of literacy -- skills that will be extremely important in the workplace. In 1994, almost 50% of teens were either working or looking for work; 80% of those who were working held part-time jobs. The impact of the 1990-91 recession on teens' earnings was dramatic. Between 1990 and 1994, average earnings dropped below 1984 levels.
Facts about Young Adults: 20 to 24 years
In 1994, more than 50% of young adults lived in the parental home, while 25% headed their own households. In 1994, half of the young adults heading up their own households were parents of young children. As they move out of their teens, young adults report being happier with their lives, having improved self-esteem and lower rates of depression. Many young women are postponing having children. In 1993, 100 out of every 1,000 women aged 20 to 24 became pregnant, compared to 133 in 1974. Young adults are at a greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases than any other age group. In 1994, 35% of young adults were in school either full-time or part-time. Equal numbers of young men and women are pursuing higher education, but there are still gender differences in their chosen fields of study. Canada has high rates of youth literacy: 31% of Canadian youth aged 15 to 24 demonstrated high levels of "documentary literacy" on the International Adult Literacy Survey in 1994, second only to Swedish youth. Despite high rates of literacy and mathematical skills, young adults have difficulty finding full-time employment; 65% are employed and of those, 31% have part-time jobs and 12% hold temporary jobs. Young adults have an unemployment rate almost twice that of adults over age 25. Average earnings among young adults have declined since the 1981-82 recession. In 1994, the average for this group was $10,500.
Progress of Canada's Children 1996 - Related Material
Canadian Council on Social Development,
309 Cooper Street, 5th Floor,
Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 0G5
Tel: (613) 236-8977, Fax: (613) 236-2750, Web: www.ccsd.ca, Email: council@ccsd.ca
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